Less than Acceptable
by TragediesPainfulKiss
Summary: The potions master has been out of line lately.OOC Warning!
1. Chapter 1

Less than acceptable

Severus Snape was very irritated. He had not done anything wrong- Albus was just being over sensitive. "I'm a GROWN MAN ALBUS, "he stamped his foot. Severus was pissed. So maybe he had given Poppy a very cruel verbal lashing when she tried to tell him he should eat more. She should know by now that he didn't like being told what to do. Sure maybe the words _were _a bit vulgar and made her cry but he didn't feel bad. Nor did he feel bad for that fact that he had hexed Minerva with a little itty-bitty five minute stinging spell. She had, after all, tried to slap him after she heard his speech to Poppy. But he still did NOT feel bad.

Albus glared daggers at him, but he just stared at the floor. "So, a grown man acts the way you did today?" he asked him. Severus just stared at the floor harder. "Grown men DO NOT SAY THINGS LIKE THAT NOR DO THE HEX PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE FRUSTRATED!"

Severus jumped at the sound of Albus yelling. He hated yelling, he associated it with violent beatings and hexings by his parents. For a second he expected the smell of alcohol to reach him, but no. It was just the smell of Albus's office.

"Look at me young man." Albus said in a deadly voice. Severus looked up to find very angry blue eyes on him. He squirmed uncomfortably. He wanted to look away but didn't dare. This was worse than being beat by his parents. He actually _cared _that Albus was angry. It made him feel guilty and bad.

"What do have to say for yourself?" Albus asked glaring at him.

Severus didn't know what Albus wanted him to say. This scared him, because he always knew what people wanted him to say. He looked down at the floor and started playing with a thread on his robe sleeve.

"I'm …I. mmmmmmm- well- uh…" There was just silence and the heat of Albus's glare and Sev panicked and quickly tried again. "S-I was –" he looked all around the room- at the doors and windows and ceiling, everywhere but Albus.

"The answers aren't going to fall from the sky, Severus." Albus said coldly.

At that Severus lost it," I Don- Don't know what I'm – I'm supposed to say!" he burst out. There was a thick silence, and he blurted out, "Just beat me already!"

"What are you talking about- Severus I don't intend to _beat _you."

At this Severus looked up hopefully- maybe Albus would just chew him out. Albus, after all, did not seem like the type to beat people. His cautious hope however was destroyed when Albus spoke again.

"However I DO intend to address your less than acceptable behavior," Albus said sitting in his big office chair, "Come over here.

Severus was scared, he had no idea what was going to happen, and he hated that. He hated not being in control, and right now he had no power. That thought terrified him. He did however take a few tiny steps toward Albus.

"Closer Severus. NOW." Albus didn't yell but Severus could tell he was serious. He took one more step closer but stopped right when he was only a few inches out of Albus's reach. He was scared to go any closer but that did not stop Albus. With one strong tug he had grabbed Severus and pulled him close. Severus panicked even further when Albus tugged again and pulled him over his lap. He tried to get away or at least move, but Albus had him in a vice-like grip. It was terrifying- Severus kept waiting to feel a cane or a _crucio_ but nothing like that happened. Instead he felt a firm SMACK! On his bottom. He cried out, but then quickly silenced himself. He didn't understand what was happening, but he would NOT show weakness of any sort. Whatever happened he would show no reaction what-so-ever. He could do it- or so he thought- but that all went out the window when Albus took his robes of and then started to remove his pants.

"ALBUS, STOP! - what are doing?" He yelled panicked. He really had no idea where this was going….unless.

"Don'- Don't put me in boiling wat- water. I'll be good. Sorry!" With that, he started to kick like crazy. The water was the punishment he hated the most. It was horrible- you got burned and you suffocated under the water. He couldn't even take showers without panicking. Albus, though, still held fast and tight.

"Severus, what ARE you talking about," Albus asked," I shall not abuse you in any such way!" he said calmly, all the while keeping a hold of Sev. A feat easier said than done as Sev kicked like mad- as if his life depended on it.

Albus sighed and just finished removing the struggling young man pants and trousers. As soon as that was done Albus started smacking Severus's bottom, not too hard, but hard enough to get his attention- Which, after ten, it did.

"Alb- Al. Wh-what are you doing? Severus asked, as soon as he felt the stinging through his fear. He had no idea, and he was more than a little uncomfortable having his bare bum sticking out in the air.

"Severus, you don't really expect me to believe you have never before received a spanking, do you?" Albus asked incredulously.

"A- a what? Does it hurt as bad as a caning?" he asked terrified. "or a – a _crucio_?"

Sev heard Albus sigh and then felt another sting. Then another.

"Severus, _that _was a spanking, -"

"That – that was it?" he asked relieved. He had thought he was going to bleed at least. He sighed against Albus's soft robes, and then made a move to get up. However Albus's hand held him tight, and he felt Albus chuckle.

"Oh no- that was not even a third of what you're getting mister. And afterwards, young man, it seems I need to discuss a few things with you."

Severus had no time to protest or react, the hand came down- HARD. He winced but bit his lips to keep from crying out like a baby. His resolve went away after the tenth time he was smacked-he let out a little whimper, and after the twelfth he started kicking. It HURT and it was embarrassing. He braced himself another but instead Albus started talking," you DO NOT swear. Hit. Yell.," You DO NOT behave that way. It is UNNACCEPTABLE. DO you UNDERSTAND?"

Severus couldn't answer- why was he being punished? His mom and dad always treated him that way- it was the way people normally acted. They yelled and hit all time. Albus however did NOT seem happy with the silence. SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

"Yeah- I understand." He yelled- the battle was lost. Tears started falling, but he kept quiet- if you made noise you got hit harder and harder. There was another ten smacks before another question came from Albus," If you EVER act like that AGAIN there will be the SAME repercussions. Do you UNDERSTAND?"

With each inflection he received a doubly hard smack. He could hardly breath, while holding the tears back but he had too," Yes." It came out a small cry.

"Were almost done here now. _Accio ruler_!," Albus took Severus and situated him so the most sensitive part of his bottom was up. _ " _Severus- you are getting fifteen with the ruler because you were very naughty." Albus said.

Severus was embarrassed- that word was used to describe children. The smacks came fast and furious and though he really tried hard not to he started sobbing after the sixth. It hurt so bad and he felt guilty and he didn't know why. Why did people always think he was bad? He always tried so hard but even his mom and dad hated him- even when he copied everything they did. Albus finished the fifteenth but instead of hitting him more for crying he just sighed and put Sev's clothes back on, and lifted him to his lap. Embarrassed Sev tried to explain-" I and mom and dad- don't why and- try- alwa- alw. " he cried. He could hardly breathe since he was crying so hard, and every time he tried to get off of Albus's lap he couldn't- Albus held tight. He just wanted to go and be alone- Albus didn't like him anymore. That hurt a lot; he was the only one who really liked him. He was so confused, especially when Albus put strong arms around him and hugged him really tight.

"It's okay to cry- let it all out. There you go. I shant harm you for crying." Albus said smoothing his black hair. It was obvious this was a trap, but Albus wouldn't let him go. He knew as soon as he started sobbing hysterically Albus would punish him. But he had no choice-if he didn't he would end up in the same predicament. So he grabbed onto the old man and all but melted into his blue robes and sobbed, and sobbed. All the old man did was rub his back and murmur comforting words. Though nothing would comfort him- Albus hated him and now he was going to be beat. He hated this feeling of weakness; it made him want to attack. Like when that stupid mutt always brought up how Sev had been sent to the Hospital Wing, more than twice, for trying to kill himself fifth year. He brought up all his other attempts in fourth year too. Or all the times he and the rest of the Marauders had mercilessly beaten him black and blue. He could handle Black throwing it in his face but what he hated was the reactions the rest of the Order gave him when he threw back an equally nasty remark. Sev didn't understand why he couldn't be good. Why he couldn't just behave. His mom and dad had always asked him that when they punished him and he still didn't the answer. He sometimes lay awake at night and wondered why he had been born bad, like everyone told him he was. He wished he could have been born good, like every other kid. Then his mom and dad would love him, like they loved his cousins and sister. Then maybe he wouldn't have needed all those painful exorcisms or beatings or starvings. But no matter how hard he tried to be good, he couldn't.

"A- I – I and I!" was all he could manage to get out of his mouth. He kept choking on his cries.


	2. the talk

"Calm down. There there- you're all right. No need to fret so. "Albus tried to placate. "Your punishment is done now. All that's left is a little talk that needs taken care of. Shhhh." The potions master mumbled something into Albus's robes, and sniffled.

"What did you say?" Albus asked smoothing back the raven hair.

"You not beat me crying yet." He whimpered.

Albus felt a pang in his heart, he felt so bad that a person should feel they would be beat for crying. Oh, yes. A long talk was indeed necessary.

"Severus I will not, nor will I ever, beat you. For anything, _including _crying. Crying is a perfectly natural thing for people to do. Why do you feel that crying is a bad thing, hmmm?" He asked. At first Sev said nothing but after a moment of silence he answered.

"Cause my mom and dad told me it was, and everyone else. All parents know crying is bad." He said, sounding puzzled that Albus would ask him a question with such an obvious answer.

"No dear, that is not true. You are mistaken greatly. What you went through is called abuse." Albus said slowly and calmly continuing to rub circles of Severus's back. The potions master, however, shook his head adamantly.

"But you're wrong. Crying _is _bad. You get beat for it!"

Albus sighed; it was going to take a while for Severus to understand.

"Severus, abuse is when the people who are supposed to protect you don't. They can abuse a person by a lot of ways. They can hurt you physically, emotionally, and many other ways. Th-"

Albus was cut off my Severus. "I KNOW. But its okay, they just want to teach you a lesson and make you good. It doesn't hurt anybody, and you deserve it. Your THERE property. Didn't you know that? He asked wide-eyed.

Albus spoke again, "Severus look at me," when Severus seemed hesitant too, Albus firmly, but gently grabbed his chin and made him, "It is NOT okay to abuse a child. EVER. You think this because you have been taught to believe this. There are _laws _against it Severus. Adults should never harm a child in any way and I am sorry you had to suffer through this." Albus could see the tears in the black eyes and wished he could go and kill those who had hurt his boy.

"But Albus, it's okay to abuse your kids!" Sev said.

"Severus, I assure you it is not. Would you hit children?"

"Well….no."

"Well, if it's okay why not? Albus asked trying to get him to realize his faulty thinking.

"Um- well-"Sev seemed embarrassed about what he wanted to say and just mumbled something.

"What was that dear, I can't hear you when you speak so low. "

"Cause I'm bad and don't know how to think!" he spluttered, tears jumping from his eyes again.

Sev quickly buried his head in Albus's robes again and started crying harder. Albus just held him tight, and rocked for awhile. He hummed for awhile and after the young man had calmed some he spoke, "Sev, dear, you are very smart. You think perfectly well. Now listen to me carefully. Do you trust me?" Albus received a small nod against his chest. With this acknowledgement Albus went on to explain abuse and why it was wrong, and how it can affect child. He went on for a good half-hour, and asked if there were questions.

"So..my mum and dad were wrong? Not me?" Sev asked hesitantly.

"Yes, they were very wrong. What did they do to you my child that made you feel this way?"

Sev went on to explain how his mum had used dark magic on him to punish him and to experiment and to just have fun watching him writhe. He explained how his father had caned him and whipped him and chocked him. He told how they locked him up in a chest at night and how they starved him, and made him clean that huge house all by himself- ever since he was two. He told how they locked him in the same chest for days and weeks at a time. He told Albus how mum would put him in a kettle full of boiling water or a tub full of scalding water and dunk him in the tub, and how mum made the water really hot when he showered and now he was afraid of water. He told how mum had let five werewolves attack him when he was six and how scared he was- the only reason he survived was that he jumped out the second floor window and broke his leg and then dad had found him the next day in the woods by his house and branded him with a cow- brander. He told how his mums brother would kiss him, and touch him when he was thirteen, but Sev had shot him with a gun twelve times but his mum was not happy with that and locked him in the chest for a month after a painful beating. He told Albus everything.

Albus just hugged him tightly and let him cry. He cried for an hour and after he was done he was tired.

"You don't have to worry. I shall never harm you. I know it hurt you, and it still does. But I love you, and I hate to see you act so destructively. "Albus placated, making Sev feel much better.

"I thought it was okay to act mean. I didn't know Albus." Sev said adamantly.

"I know. I know. But know you do. We'll work on improving you behavior together, okay?"

Sev noded. He was relived Albus did not hate him, and that he was loved. Now he also had help to be a good person like he wanted.

Albus squeezed tightly and then stood him up.

"Now, I think you should go and take a nap, you must be very tired, hmmm?"

Sev wanted to argue but could see that Albus was not making a suggestion. He turned to leave but Albus stopped him.

"I think you should nap here. Your face IS rather red and splotchy from the crying. You don't want to walk the halls like that do you?"

Sev agreed and let himself be guided to the spare bedroom, he also allowed himself to be tucked it and babied by Albus.

Sev had never felt so peaceful, and fell fast asleep.

END


End file.
